


Got a Light?

by ScarlettWallflower



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Drug Abuse, M/M, Sexual References, gerita - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 08:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17076458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettWallflower/pseuds/ScarlettWallflower
Summary: Don't you hate it when your landlord shuts off your electricity, just because your brother and his buddies won't pay back rent? There are ways to make the best of it. Like meeting your hot, quirky downstairs neighbor who conveniently does not have matches or a lighter.





	Got a Light?

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posting from my tumblr account. And if you didn't see it in the tags, this fic does reference prescription drug abuse. There's nothing explicit in there, but just be forewarned. 
> 
> It's the return of the erstwhile songfic. Well, not really. I'm not doing those italicized breaks for lyrics. Yet...
> 
> Yes, this is based on the song "Light My Candle" from Rent. The movie version at least, never seen the stage version. In the musical, the character I've aligned Feli with (Mimi) is addicted to heroin but I've chosen to use another type of drug here.
> 
> And Jan is Netherlands. There had to be a surrogate for Benny, the ex-friend/ landlord character in the musical and I picked the canonical cheapskate.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go?” Gilbert raised an eyebrow, his whole demeanor shifting from reckless libertine to concerned big brother in an instant.

“Yeah, come on, Lud, it’ll be good for you to get out and explore the city. Or at least our neighborhood,” Antonio chimed in.

“You might as well, the light’s are going to be out until Jan decides to stop being such an ass,” Francis said as he pulled on his coat.

"You could just give him the back rent he wants," Ludwig said.

"It's the principle of the matter, Luddy," Gilbert said. "That rat bastard told us we were his friends and we'd have our rent covered. And now he decides he's going to break his promise and wants it all of a sudden? Hell no! You know a guy for four years, room with him in college the whole time, and this is how he treats us. If I could afford any other place, I'd move out tomorrow. You really don't want to go?"

“No, no. I’ve been out with you three too much lately. I’m just going to stay here, maybe read a book.”

Gilbert was incredulous. “How are you gonna see enough to be able to read?”

“I have candles and a flashlight.”

Gilbert and Ludwig stared each other down for a moment, before Gilbert relented. “Alright, alright. Just lock the door behind us and if Roderich calls, you know what to do.”

Ludwig didn’t expect Roderich to be calling this late, though he was due for his weekly phone call shortly. Ludwig never minded talking to their half-brother but it put Gilbert in such a bad mood that he just went along with Gilbert’s instructions to not answer Roderich’s calls if Gilbert wasn’t there.

“Have fun. I’ll see you later.”

Gilbert walked back to Ludwig and messed up his hair. “Take it easy. I’m glad you’re here with me, we need someone to keep things in line.” He winked at his brother and followed his friends out the door.

Ludwig set up three of his candles on the coffee table, eager to get under a blanket and start the next chapter of The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Three loud rhythmic raps on the door.

Ludwig rolled his eyes. Gilbert could never just leave his place and go like a normal person.

“What did you forget?”

A head of auburn hair and a sly smile peaked around the door.

“Got a light?”

Ludwig knew he’d seen this guy somewhere before. He hadn’t been living here long enough to have casually met the guy but he was sure he recognized the face.

“I know you, you’re- you’re shivering.” He stepped forward, ushering the maybe-stranger into the apartment.

“It’s nothing, they turned off my heat. And I’m just a little weak on my feet.”

He produced his own small candle, holding it up to Ludwig. “Would you light my candle.”

Ludwig grabbed the grimy old match box off the table and obliged.

“What are you staring at?”

Ludwig shook his head, embarrassed. “Nothing. You just- hey!”

The guy faltered, nearly crashing to his knees on the floor before Ludwig grabbed his arm.

“Can you make it?” he asked, preparing to lead the neighbor to the couch.

“I just haven’t eaten much today. At least the room stopped spinning- what?” he sounded exasperated and Ludwig suddenly realized that he’d never taken his eyes off the neighbor, averting his eyes.

It’s just that, your smile reminded me-”

The neighbor rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “I always remind people of… well, who is he?”

Ludwig broke away, shoving his hands in his pockets. “He died a long time ago, his name was Michael.”

The neighbor groaned. “Damn, it’s out again. Sorry about your friend. Would you light my candle?”

Ludwig stepped closer. There was something about this guy he couldn’t help admiring. The neighbor took a step as well, looking up into Ludwig’s eyes.

“Well…”

“Yeah?” The neighbor suddenly sucked a breath in through his teeth and pulled his hand away from the candle. Ludwig startled and jumped back, thinking he’d done something.

“Oh, the wax,” he said lamely.

The neighbor held up his left hand, fascinated. “It’s dripping. You know, I like it between my th-”

“Fingers! I figured,” Ludwig finished quickly for him. Jeez, he knew this was New York but were all people here this… forward? Then again, there was Gilbert’s “squad” and their various escapades which they spoke at length about.

Having been embarrassed enough for one night, Ludwig turned briskly towards the door and opened it for the neighbor.

“Oh well, goodnight.”

The neighbor looked a little perturbed but went out the door with no objection.

Ludwig shut the door, preparing himself to collapse on the couch, when there was another knock on the door.

He sighed, striding back over.

“It blew out again?” he said by way of greeting.

The neighbor pushed past Ludwig, eyes trained on the ground. “No, I think that I dropped my stash.”

The confusion must have registered on his face because the neighbor explained as he stepped carefully across the room, “My stash. My pills.” He stopped, looking right at Ludwig. You’re not gonna narc on me, right?”

Ludwig shook his head quickly.

Neighbor groaned. “I’m illin’. I know I had it on me when I walked in here, it’s gotta be on the floor.”

Ludwig squinted in the darkness at his neighbor. New York was the strangest place. No wonder his brother wanted to live here.

The neighbor was down on the floor in an instant, crawling under the table.

The moon gave a weak glow and Ludwig stared out the big window for a minute, happy that on such a terrible night at least the sky was clear. A lower pane on the window illuminated a spot off to the side of the door where a crumpled plastic sandwich bag filled with little white pills lay. Careful not to alert the neighbor, Ludwig tiptoed over and snatched the bag up, putting it in his shirt pocket.

Normally he wasn’t so nosy but this was his house and he liked the weird neighbor guy. The thought of him destroying his body like he’d seen others do before made him sad.

When he looked over to check that he hadn’t been spotted, it just so happened that the path of the moonlight was glittering down on the neighbor guy’s rather prominent backside.

It was poking out from under the table still, evidently he was conducting a thorough search, and Ludwig would have laughed if he wasn’t so… interested. He was nineteen and he hadn’t had a partner in a long time. Or ever. Your average horny teenage boy.

It wasn’t long before the neighbor decided to switch tacks and opted for an army crawl towards the couch. His movements were slower, more precise and almost cat-like.

Those hazel eyes were twinkling as the neighbor grinned up at him. “They say that I have the best ass below 14th street, is it true?”

“What?”

“You’re staring again.”

“Well, you do, have a nice a- I mean, you look familiar.” He was blushing furiously now, suddenly thankful for the lack of light.

Neighbor paused, propping his chin up with his hand, looking smug and slightly thoughtful.

“Like your dead boyfriend?”

Ludwig frowned. “Only when you smile. I know I’ve seen you somewhere else, though.”

“Do you go to the Catscratch Club? That’s where I work, I dance.”

The name was familiar. He was certain Gil and his friends had forced him to tag along a time or two… “Yes! They used to tie you up.”

Neighbor raised an eyebrow and smirked. “It’s a living.”

Ludwig couldn’t help the smile peaking out from the corner of his mouth. “I almost didn’t recognize you without the handcuffs.”

In one smooth motion, Neighbor lifted himself off the floor and put his hands lightly against Ludwig’s sides.

“We could find some matches, light a few candles…” His eyelids were lowered and he was moving his fingers up and down, in a sort of tickling motion. Ludwig felt his heart pounding wildly, though whether it was with arousal or anxiety he couldn’t say.

Ludwig stepped back.

“Why don’t you forget that stuff? You look like you’re sixteen.”

The neighbor’s warm little smile turned sardonic. “Nice try, cherry boy, I’m twenty-one and I don’t like to listen.”

Ludwig huffed, crossing his arms.

“You’ll wish you had someday.”

Neighbor guy shrugged, stepping forward. “So now and then I like to feel good, what’s the harm? We all only have a little time on earth anyway.” He caught Ludwig by the belt loops on his pants and pulled him close. “Why not have some fun?”

Ludwig’s breath caught in his throat as Neighbor used his left hand to snake around Ludwig’s waist and the right to begin searching his pockets. His smile was mischievous.

“What’d you do with my little treat?” he asked in a sing-song voice.

A sudden draft unceremoniously snuffed out Ludwig’s lone candle. He looked forlornly at the table at an empty box of matches.

“That was my last match,” he said, turning around and away from Neighbor.

The neighbor didn’t seem to care, grabbing Ludwig’s hand and pulling him to the window ledge to have a seat on the threadbare cushion. He gazed dreamily out at the sky. “Our eyes will adjust. Thank god for the moon.”

Ludwig smirked. “Maybe it’s not the moon at all. I hear James Franco’s shooting down the street.”

The auburn-haired neighbor rolled his eyes. “What a romantic.”

He began to shiver again. Before his better judgment could stop him, Ludwig reached for the neighbor’s hands. Just to warm them up, of course. It didn’t mean anything. Just the neighborly thing to do.

“Your hands are freezing.”

“Yours too.” He smiled softly, grabbing their hands and flattening his palms against Ludwig’s.

“They’re big, just like my grandpa’s.” He jumped up, dragging Ludwig with him. “Do you wanna dance?”

Ludwig smiled himself, feeling all mushy and like he was in high school again.

“With you?”

The guy spun Ludwig, letting go mid-spin and jolting him.

“No, with my grandpa.”

A proffered hand. “I’m Ludwig.”

The slightly-frustrating-but-definitely-attractive neighbor grinned, waving the little plastic baggy he’d managed to swipe from Ludwig’s shirt pocket.

“They call me Feli.” And before Ludwig could recover and ask if he’d like to have coffee, maybe go to that little dive restaurant the gang frequented, Feli had made his sudden, graceful exit.


End file.
